Keeper



Aug. l, 1961 F. D. sTEPHENsoN KEEPER Filed Deo. 8. 1959 INVENTOR. FERPA/ D DAN/EL STEPHENSON United States Patent 2,994,141 KEEPER Ferrald Daniel Stephenson, 4562 Domina, Lakewood, Calif. Filed Dec. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 858,195 9 Claims. (-Cl. 37-142) My invention relates to semi-permanent retaining means and is especially concerned with a device particularly adapted for use in connection with a detachable or removable excavator tooth. An excavator digging tooth and tip assembly of this sort is shown, for example, in my copending application entitled Excavator Tooth, tiled April 28, 1958, with Serial No. 731,215, now Patent No. 2,982,035, and another form of keeper is shown in my copending application Serial No. 785,174, tiled January 6, 1959.

In many digging devices, there is provided a detachable tooth tip which does the actual excavating and there is utilized some removable means for holding the tooth tip in position during excavation but permitting removal of the tooth tip and replacement or substitution by another tooth tip, as desired.

It is an object of the invention to provide for holding the tooth tip in position by means of a keeper that can readily be assembled and disassembled with the remainder of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keeper which does not become inadvertently dislodged or lost during excavating work.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a keeper affording a semi-permanent fastening but which can readily be introduced and removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keeper exerting substantial force to hold the tooth tip on the tooth base.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keeper which can readily be fabricated and cheaply sold.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a keeper which can readily be operated with the relatively crude tools usually available in field service.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keeper which is not adversely eifected by the materials passing over the tooth tip and tooth base during excavation.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a tooth base with a tip assembled thereon, a portion being broken away along a median vertical plane to show in cross-section the interior construction of the tooth base and tooth tip with the keeper assembled therewith.

FIGURE 2 is a partial plan of the assembly of FIG- URE 1, portions being broken away to reduce the size of the figure. i

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view showing the manner of assembly of the keeper of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE l.

While the keeper can be embodied in a number of different forms, depending particularly upon its precise environment, it has successfully been utilized in practice in the form illustrated herein. In this environment, there is provided a tooth base 6 having an extended nose 7 on which a tooth tip 8 is disposed. The tip overlies virtually all portions of the nose 7 but is spaced somewhat'from parts of the base 6 to leave an intervening gap 9 which varies in size, depending upon the relative assembled position of the parts.

The base 6 in the nose portion 7 thereof is traversed by a cross passage 11 while the tooth tip 8 is similarly traversed by a cross passage 12. In the assembled relationship of the parts, the passages 11 and 12 Iline up at least approximately, although preferably the rearward bounding faces 13 of the tip passage 12 are disposed considerably ahead of the rearward bounding face 14 of the base passage 11. The result is to provide an offset Volume 15 in the cross passage 11 constituting an interior portion thereof bounded on -its ends by shoulders 17 and 18 formed by the rearward portions of the tooth tip 8. Somewhat similarly, the forward bounding face 19 of the cross passage 11 is slightly out of alignment with Vand is to the rear of the forward bounding faces 21 of the passageway 12.

For use in the cross passage and its interior portion, there is provided a block 23 conveniently of metal and having an upper rear face 24 and a lower rear face 26 designed, when the block is in position, substantially to abut the faces 13 of the cross passageway. Extending from the central portion of the block 23 is an extension 27 adapted substantially to occupy the offset volume 15 and being of a length substantially to rest with fair snugness between the shoulders 17 and 18 so that the block when so positioned, and as shown in FIGURES l and 3, cannot be transversely dislodged.

The forward or leading face 28 of the block is inclined at an angle to the transverse faces such as 13 and 21 to form a forward wedge face on the block. The dimensions of the block are such that when in position it occupies only a portion of the cross passage and extends to a position substantially flush with the outside of the tooth tipat the top but is spaced from the outside surface of the tooth tip at the bottom.

` Designed to cooperate with the block 23 is a wedge 36 conveniently fabricated of metal and having a forwardV surface 37 adapted to abut the surface19 of the tooth base. The wedge has an inclined, rearward wedge surfacev 38 of the same slope as the block face 28 so thatr the two faces 28 and 38 when in abutment alord a wedge contact. yThe upper portion of the wedge 36 is preferably slightly inclined and is designed to be a little above orv approximately ush with the upper surface of the tooth tip when the wedge is in position. The wedge is somewhat short `so that it` stops a considerable distance away from the lower edge of the tooth tip.

In Vthe use of these parts, after the block 23 has been put into position, the wedge 36V is driven smartly intoi place and the tooth tip is well locked onto `the Vtooth base. To dislodge the tooth tip, it is only necessary rst tov drive out the wedge 36, after which the block 23 can be laterally shifted and lifted out and then the tooth tip cany 4 be withdrawn from the tooth base.

Pursuant to the invention, there areprovided wedge 36 is pierced between its ends with a transverse, generally rounded aperture 41. On one side ofY the wedge, preferably in the face 37, there is sunk a groove 42 extending from the aperture 41 toward the upper end of the; wedge. The groove also is extended and continued downwardly from the aperture to metrical portion 43 in the face 37.

The groove 42 and the aperture 41 together constitute a wire conduit which is continued and further formed'by.

a partial groove 46 inthe rearward facev38 .of the wedge 36. A complementary portion' `47 is partially kformed inl the `forward wedge surface 2 8 of the'block 23; The

groove 46 tends `to fair outfrom the tapered f ace 38' the-wedge 36 and the portion 47 tends to fair lintothei" further, means for'holding the parts in assembled condition. A The.

provide a syrn- For use with the wire conduit so formed, there is preferably provided a wire 51 of round section and of a fairly easily deformable material, such as iron. The wire 51 is formed with a straight shank portion 52 and an odset end portion 53 parallel -to the shank portion. An intermediate portion 54 curves into the remaining portions and is disposed substantially at right angles thereto.

In the use of this structure, the tooth tip 8 is rst assembled onto the tooth base 6 as tightly asl may be done by hand. Theblock 23 is then introduced transversely into the cross passage and is moved rearwardly until the extension 27 is within the volume 15. Then, the wire 51 is introduced in the full line position shown in FIG- URE 3 by passing the shank 52 first through the aperture 41 until the intermediate portion 54 of the wire occupies the groove extension 43. Then, the Wire 51 is rotated clockwise, as indicated by the arrow 56 in FIGURE 3, until the intermediate portion 54 lies within the aperture 41 and the offset end portion 53 is disposed in the upper groove 42. That leaves the shank portion 52 depending downwardly approximately parallel to the face 37 of the wedge and seated in part within the groove 47.

The assembled wedge and wire are then moved in the direction of the arrow 57 transversely into the remaining portion of the cross passage, with the wire 51 entering into the partial groove 47 in the block 23 and the wedge 36 occupying the remaining part of the cross passage. The wedge is driven sharply home by any Suitable means, such as a hammer or sledge, until the parts lie approximately as shown in FIGURE 1. Thereafter, the initially depending lower end of the Wire shank 52 is bent inwardly and rearwardly in the direction of the arrow 58 to`lie well within the lower end of the groove 47. The wedge is thus held in position by the Wire, and this holds the wedge against transverse displacement due to digging strains or vibration since the Wire is too strong to be deformed out of position by any of the normally incident working forces.

When it is desired to remove the tooth tip, a pin is inserted into the lower part of the passage in abutment with the lower end of the wedge and the wedge is then driven out. The lower portion of the groove 47 acts as sort of a guide or die and the superior force straightensthe previously bent end of the shank poi-tion S2 of the wire so that the Wedge thereafter comes out easily. The wire is thus straightened for subsequent use. After the wedge has been removed, the wire can be reused or replaced by a new one, if desired, andthe block 23 can be extracted so that the tooth` tip can simply be pulled B?. If the tooth tip tends to stick, a tool' inserted in the space 9 can readily pry it free.

Pursuant to this invention, there is provided a keeper which is firmly held in position by the deformation of a wire, the normal forces acting upon the tooth tip being entirely insufficient -to straighten or distort the wire out of its locking position. The wire, however, can be distorted by forces exerted upon thewedge to drive it outr iirm and trouble-free interconnection between they parts,

permitting easy `disassembly thereof when desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A keeper for use with a digging tooth and tip assem-A bly having a cross passage with an olset interior Volume., comprising a block adapted to be disposed in a portion of said cross passage, lan extension on said block adapted to` ocoupy'said volume, la wedge `adapted to be disposed in another portion of said cross passage in :abutment with said block, means forming a wire conduit through said wedge and between said 'wedge land said block, and a wire in said conduit and extending across the end of said block.

2. A keeper for use with a digging tooth and tip assembly having .a cross passage with an offset interior volume between two shoulders comprising a block having a first wedge face and adapted to be disposed in a portion of said cross passage, an extension on said block adapted to occupy said volume 'and to extend between said shoulders, a wedge having a second wedge face and adapted to be disposed in another portion of said cross passage with said wedge faces in abutment, means forming a Wire conduit through said wedge, and a wire in said conduit and extending across the end of said block.

3. A keeper for use with a digging tooth and tip assembly having a cross passage comprising a block having a first wedge face and adapted to be disposed in one portion of said `cross passage, a wedge havin-g a second wedge face Iand adapted to be disposed in anotherV portion ofsaid` cross passage with said wedge faces in abutment, means forming a wire conduit through said wedge and in said -wedge faces between said wedge and s-aid block, and a wire in said conduit and extending across the end of said block.

4. A keeper for use with a digging tooth and tip assembly having a cross passage, a block fitting part ofv said passage, a wedge fitting the remaining part of said passage, means including grooves in said block and saidwedge for-ming a wire conduit 4between saidl block and said wedge, and a wire in said conduit.

5. A dev-ice as in claim 4 in which said wire conduit extends through said wedge.

6. A device as in claim 4 in which said Wire conduit includes a groove extending along one side of said wedge, an aperture through said wedge and another groove extending along the other side of said wedge.

7. A device as in claim 4 in which said wire conduit includes matching grooves in said block and in said wedge.

8. A device as in claim 4 in which said wire conduit extends along one side of said wedge and through saidY wedge `and' includes matching grooves in said` block and said wedge.

9. An :article of manufacture for use in a digging tooth `and tipassem'bly comprising a -wedge having a wedge t'face and being formed with a groove depressed in andextending along said wedfge face, 'there being an aperture extending through said wedge from one end of said groove, and said wedge also being formed with another` groove depressed iny and extending from said aperture along a face opposite said wedge face.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great, Britain Sept. 

